Updated | MRA's energy policy team to move to energy ministry

Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi's first strategic move is to shift the energy policy team, previously based in the Malta Resources Authority to the Ministry for Energy and Water Conservation.

He made this announcement during the opening speech of the annual conference of the Institute for Sustainable Energy University of Malta on Thursday morning.

Mizzi has wasted no time since his swearing in on Wednesday evening.

Within days he held meetings with the chief executive officers of the Malta Resources Authority, Enemalta, the Water Services Corporation and ARMS Ltd to start up a new collaborative process for understanding the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Malta in the energy sector.

He announced that in April, his ministry would be issuing an international call for an expression of interest for the development of a new gas-operated plant.

Addressing the annual conference, Mizzi also announced the strategic decision to shift the energy team from the Malta Resources Authority to the Ministry for Energy and Water Conservation.

"This decision was taken in consultation with the MRA and will ensure that the authority will now focus on regulation and not policy," Mizzi said, adding that this was in line with "international best practice" and will ensure that the MRA will now operate as an independent regulator.

He said the Energy Ministry will be responsible of energy, renewables and energy efficiency policy and initiatives.

Mizzi said it is imperative that Malta meets challenges with regard to energy security, environment protection and energy sustainability - both in the field of conventional energy generation and also with regard to Malta's renewable energy and energy efficiency targets.

The minister also reiterated that a Labour government would lessen Malta's dependence on heavy fuel oil and its polluting power station thanks to a new gas-operated unit, and a more varied energy mix.

He added that to achieve this goal, the government would be working hand-in-hand with the private sector, while also increasing the opportunities of public private partnerships.